loess

American  

[loh-es, les, luhs] / ˈloʊ ɛs, lɛs, lʌs /

noun

1. a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley and in Europe and Asia.

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loess British  

/ ˈləʊɪs, lœs, ləʊˈɛsɪəl /

noun

1. a light-coloured fine-grained accumulation of clay and silt particles that have been deposited by the wind

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loess Scientific  

/ lō′əs,lĕs,lŭs /

1. A very fine grained silt or clay, thought to have formed as the result of grinding by glaciers and to have been deposited by the wind. Most loess is believed to have originated during the Pleistocene Epoch from areas of land covered by glaciers and from desert surfaces.

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Other Word Forms

• loessal
  adjective
• loessial
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of loess

1825–35; < German Löss < Swiss German lösch loose, slack ( sch taken as a dial. equivalent of German s ), akin to German lose loose

Explanation

Loess is a kind of fine dirt or dust that's made up of silt, sand, and clay. The wind blows loess around until it settles and, over time, accumulates in one area. Where loess settles, the resulting soil tends to become very fertile, and to be distinctive for its yellowish-brown color. There are places rich in loess throughout the United States, as well as parts of China, Europe, and Argentina. There's even an area in Iowa called the "Loess Hills." The word loess is pronounced several ways, including "luss," and like the name Lois. It comes from the German Löss, "yellowish-gray soil."

Example Sentences

The caves carved from the loess hills where Mao Zedong and other party leaders road out World War II have since become a pilgrimage site for party faithful.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2022

Eastern Colorado soils are 70% windblown loess, but cultivation, grazing, construction, and roads — anything that destabilizes the soil — can generate dust, says Kelly.

From Salon • Jan. 25, 2022

This entry-level bottle is from vines grown on loess and loam on gentle slopes.

From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2020

Compacted layers of wind-blown sediment are known as loess.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Tracks of unknown creatures in the mortified loess.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Related Words

• dirt
• earth
• grime
• lint
• powder
• sand
• soil
• soot